Every day over six thousand people sit down at work and try to tell a story

Funnel

funnel

As a wise man once said, «The whole world is a bunch of bloody funnels», and I agree with him. The concept aptly applies to the recruitment process. The spray-and-pray When hiring people, it's important to understand that the best specialists are almost never actively looking for a job. They are comfortably seated in companies with good salaries, big bonuses, a gym, free juices, and a fancy badge that pleasingly beeps when swiped at the office turnstile. Often, the whole recruitment process is just a 'spray and pray' approach. Recruiters write to potential candidates: «Hey, we have a cool vacancy, pay well, interested in chatting?». According to my LinkedIn profile, I'm a co-founder at several companies, and I'm still getting the whole bunch of such invites, although it's quite obvious that a job offer would be ignored. Such workflow can catch some people who are already job hunting but it sends the same message to a large number of people who aren't, resulting in a generally low response rate. The good ol' funnel I suggest looking at hiring as marketing, which opens up new and amazing edges. The good old funnel approach comes into play. Let's consider this in the context of searching for a CTO. How a marketer would approach this task First, conduct classic JTBD (jobs-to-be-done) customer development (in-depth interviews). Select CTOs that fit your profile but who you know for sure are currently not interested in joining your firm. Arrange calls with them and the main question to ask is: what would make you immediately resign and accept an offer; describe your dream job (what kind of company, tasks, team, salary); what are 3-5 factors that you look at when choosing where to work and who to work with. From analyzing the customer development interviews, it turns out that top candidates are not as motivated by money; for them, it's more important to have recognition, a cool ambitious case in their resume, the level of people they will work with (to learn from them), the company's mission (increasingly critical), and interesting tasks. Based on these responses, you can creatively upgrade your materials at all stages of the HR funnel: the message on , the job vacancies page, your company's pitch during introductions, a whole lot of them. LinkedIn As soon as each stage of the funnel is based on the real needs of the client (candidate), the conversion at each stage dramatically increases, and most importantly, the quality of candidates. Rinse and repeat, continue to test at each stage, re-do customer development and upgrade your materials. A message to such guys might look like this: Hi username, a few guys from #### told me you're the coolest CTO they know, so I decided to write to you. (recognition) Here at ####, we've assembled a team from ####, ####, and #####, ##### and are developing #### in #### (we're already one of the highest in revenue in the region). (cool team, interesting tasks, opportunity to learn) Interesting tasks for 2024 include #####, #####, and then ##### . (ambitious case) Cool stuff: we use ####, and like no one else in the market #### . (interesting tasks, opportunity to learn) We're currently talking with various awesome people, looking for someone to head our development instead of one of the founders. (recognition) Maybe you'd be interested in a 15-30 minute call to get acquainted? (won't take much time) The same framework works for other vacancies. Iterate, research, test, improve. Good luck with your search, guys. I wish you the top candidates!

Hiring Is a Bloody Funnel—The Whole World Is

Once you’ve built your SaaS product, marketing is the next step. And how well word of your product spreads depends on your Top-of-the-funnel (ToFu) marketing efforts. A good strategy, well executed, could lead to incredible signup rates in the long run. So, in this article, we’ll cover the best practices for creating ToFu content that sparks interest. Let’s dive right in. What is ToFu Marketing ToFu marketing is shorthand for top-of-the-funnel marketing. It’s that involves creating awareness about consumers' needs and subtly hinting that your product can solve them. ToFu exists alongside MoFu (middle-of-the-funnel) and BoFu (bottom-of-the-funnel) on the customer journey and is critical in raising awareness about solutions. a stage in the marketing funnel The main thing to note about ToFu marketing is that it focuses on raising awareness about a need and the existence of a helpful solution. In this stage, selling isn’t the main objective, at least not in the short term. It’s essential to bear this in mind before planning your ToFu strategy, or else your efforts may come off as desperate, leading to potential distrust. ToFu vs. MoFu vs. BoFu The primary difference between top-of-the-funnel content and content created in the other marketing stages is that they cater to different needs in the customer journey. ToFu content is designed to help customers who are just becoming aware of a problem that’s not well-defined, that is, those in the awareness stage. They tend to have longer word counts because they try to answer many questions. MoFu content, on the other hand, is targeted towards potential customers in the consideration stage. They have become acutely aware of their problems and are actively narrowing their options to the one that seems best for them. Their search entries are more specific this time, so MoFu content, like comparison charts, webinars, and podcasts, usually have long tail keywords. When your prospects are ready to purchase, . Unlike ToFu content that avoids directly selling, BoFu tells your audience exactly why they should pick your product by highlighting its unique advantages over other products. Examples include case studies, trials, demos, and customer stories. ) BoFu content helps them choose your product Before you map out your strategy, create user personas. You must understand what kind of people you aim to sell to before making a great ToFu strategy. This is where come in. user/buyer personas User personas are fictional, detailed representations of your ideal customer or target audience. Using them lets you make your content and marketing campaigns more personalized. The most successful SaaS businesses have multiple buyer personas refined over the years until they accurately or nearly perfectly fit the audience they market to. In-app surveys and questionnaires can benefit companies with a reasonable user base. But it can be a little more difficult for startups that don’t have as many users yet. Still, start with what you have. Research your existing customer base and consider factors such as their occupation, age, and home life, among others. You could even survey your current clients to learn more about them. Even if you haven’t entered the market yet, you can create well-defined user personas by looking at your competition. Research what market segment they’re earning the most from and use that info to draft your user personas. Make sure to categorize your personas into different segments to be more specific as you reach out to them. ToFu Content Creation Best Practices The quality of your ToFu content can largely determine how many people notice your product. And the more attention you can garner, the more leads you are likely to attract as well. That said, here are some best practices for making excellent ToFu content. Craft attention-grabbing headlines and hooks It takes 15 seconds for readers to decide whether to continue reading an article. For video content, it’s . five times less time So, when you make content, aim to grab your audience’s attention within the first few seconds. This means using interesting headlines and attention-grabbing intros in your articles and intriguing hooks in your videos. For instance, “10 insanely gatekept methods to saving thousands of dollars on streaming platforms” is a much better title than “10 Ways To Save Money on Streaming.” Video content is even trickier. But here’s one of many hooks that can keep your audience glued: “Stop wasting money on streaming platforms. Instead, try these ten methods to save you tons of cash while enjoying your favorite subscription service.” Utilize various content formats Consider using as many content formats as possible when making ToFu content. This approach enables you to reach audiences that you otherwise may have yet to be able to touch with your content if you stuck to just one. For example, posting short-form videos is a great way to reach many people, but so is a great blog post or a brilliant infographic with your brand’s logo and theme. Incorporate storytelling and emotional appeal . It’s why human-created content has an edge over AI-generated ones. So, leverage this advantage as much as possible, as many startups lean towards AI content these days. Emotions and stories appeal to humans However, maintain brevity. As much as people like stories, they get bored easily when the takeaway isn’t in sight. Optimize content for search engines (SEO) Aside from just using semantic keywords in your content, incorporate other SEO practices. Optimize meta titles, descriptions, and even captions, and obtain backlinks from reputable sources to ensure your content stays on the first page of SERPs. It can be incredible the difference being on top of a Google search can have for your content. Regardless, avoid prioritizing SEO over quality and intent. Leverage multiple social media platforms. It’s best to utilize several social media platforms to make the most out of your content. When doing this, remember that each platform has a different algorithm. So, tailor your content to each one. Also, post the content type that works on each platform. For instance, while long-form posts may do well on LinkedIn, Twitter (or X) may not favor lengthy threads. Trends change occasionally, so try to stay on top of industry patterns. Tread carefully with Email marketing strategies for ToFu Using emails during the ToFu stage is very tricky. You can either nail it or have your domain flagged and all your email campaigns . There is a delicate midpoint that can lean toward either possibility, but it solely depends on the quality of your email copy and your strategy. permanently directed to spam folders As a rule, only email people who subscribe to your newsletter, and avoid using clickbait. Setting clear KPIs It’s easy to lose sight of the metrics you plan to measure when they’re unclear. For instance, suddenly switching from measuring impressions to tracking the number of likes and followers on your pages can quickly make you lose motivation. Because building an organic following takes time. Furthermore, content on TikTok, for example, tends to garner than the same content posted on Instagram. Hence, it takes more time to grow an Instagram following than on TikTok. So, don’t be discouraged if you primarily use Instagram for marketing. more individual views The main point is clearly defining your KPIs for each stage in your marketing process. It will help you streamline your efforts to achieve your goals and keep you motivated in the long run. Conclusion Creating ToFu content that piques attention in an increasingly competitive market takes time and effort. While you’re trying not to be too forward and aggressive with your marketing, you also don’t want to create content that doesn’t drive leads in the long run. So, this article has explored the best practices for creating ToFu content that sticks. Properly implemented, you’ll have a solid foundation for future marketing campaigns.

Top-of-funnel Marketing Best Practices for SaaS Startups

This story was originally published by by Evan Robinson-Johnson for . contributed reporting. ProPublica ProPublica Debbie Cenziper A former Lebanese diplomat sanctioned by U.S. authorities for allegedly funneling money to the terrorist group Hezbollah was arrested last week in Bucharest, Romania, and U.S. officials are seeking his extradition. Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi, 58, is accused by federal prosecutors of attempting to evade sanctions by trying to launder and move more than $800,000 from the United States to Lebanon, according to the Department of Justice. Bazzi was current or former diplomats identified last year in an investigation by ProPublica and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists that revealed widespread abuses in a little-known and poorly regulated system of international diplomacy. one of 500 So-called honorary consuls work from their home countries to represent the interests of the foreign governments that appoint them. In exchange, the volunteer diplomats are afforded some of the same legal protections offered to career diplomats, including travel benefits and political connections unavailable to most private citizens. The found that a number of consuls have stood accused of crimes or were embroiled in controversy — many while they held their posts. “Shadow Diplomats” investigation Thirty current and former honorary consuls have been sanctioned by the United States and other governments; nine have been by law enforcement and governments, including Bazzi. linked to terrorist groups Bazzi was appointed honorary consul in Lebanon by the government of Gambia in 2005 under the regime of then-Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, according to court records. The Gambian government terminated his appointment in 2017. A year later, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Bazzi a “global terrorist,” accusing the businessman of funneling money to Hezbollah, a militant group that has attacked U.S. service members, civilians and others in countries including Israel, Argentina and Iraq. The designation blocked Bazzi’s interests in domestic real estate and prohibited American citizens from conducting any business that would benefit him. In 2019, Bazzi sought to overturn the U.S. sanction. In court records, he said the government failed to provide evidence that he had financed Hezbollah. The sanction is still in place. Bazzi’s attorney could not be reached for comment. In a three-count unsealed last week in New York, Bazzi and a second man were charged with conspiring to launder money and to cause U.S. individuals to conduct unlawful transactions involving a global terrorist. indictment Recorded communications revealed that the men proposed numerous strategies to move money, including transferring funds through a fake restaurant deal and a family loan scheme in Kuwait, according to the Justice Department. “The defendants in this case attempted to provide continued financial assistance to [Hezbollah], a foreign terrorist organization responsible for death and destruction,” Daniel Kafafian, acting special agent in charge at the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey division, . said in a statement John Marzulli, a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in New York’s Eastern District, declined to comment on Bazzi’s prior status as an honorary consul. Marzulli said he could not say when the men will arrive in the United States; the government is seeking extradition. Each count in the indictment carries up to 20 years in prison. The Eastern District U.S. attorney, Breon Peace, said in a release: “Mohammad Bazzi thought that he could secretly move hundreds of thousands of dollars from the United States to Lebanon without detection by law enforcement.” This “arrest proves that Bazzi was wrong.” Matthew Levitt, a counterrorism expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said Bazzi was especially skilled at finding ways to establish relationships with people in power. “This is someone who is a player for senior Hezbollah operatives and senior Iranian leadership,” Levitt said. “His arrest and extradition is significant.” Photo by on Josh Appel Unsplash

This Man Is Accused of Funneling Money to the Terrorist Group Hezbollah

Regardless of how mature the product is, its owner will always be curious about how it performs, what the conversion rates are, and what areas for improvement there are. One of the most important tools that product owners should get access to at some point in time is an . event tracking system Table of Contents Why an event tracking system is important. When to implement an event tracking system How to implement an ETS In-house vs existing solutions Architecture of event-tracking Operationalization or Make it work Conclusion Why an event tracking system is important Implementation of event tracking will allow businesses to get scientific answers to lots of product-related questions, such as: At which stage of the sign-up journey did I lose most of the users? What would be the conversion rates if I split users into 3 groups and showed them different checkout buttons? Is it true that the performance of my product depends on how it’s been implemented by various clients? When to implement an event tracking system In my , I described how to set up an environment to perform experiments with your product. The approach I provided there implied that one can reuse existing information resulting from core data flows as part of backend architecture. Doing so will be especially beneficial for the products at the early stages of development. previous article At some point in time, the product reaches a stage when it can no longer be sustainably developed without relying on data. Therefore, enhanced is applicable to more mature products. The table below systemizes the recommended practices for product analytics depending on a stage of maturity: event tracking Maturity stage of your product What can your product do? Who is using your product? Recommended practices of product analytics MVP (although MLP, i.e. ‘Minimum Lovable Product’ is better) Very is available basic functionality at one specific market Loyal and patient customers Simple and that store information related to lifecycle of product’s core entities (e.g. of the order or payment). Information is used for health check, building and testing of simple hypotheses high level funnels that are based on the data tables Surviver . New features have been added, but overall still behind well established players (in terms of functionality and market share) Core functionality works rather stable Customers are coming from various segments on a regular basis Funnels . Allows the detailed analysis and obtaining specific insights at each part of the funnel. Can be combined with practices of MVP/ MLP stage based on event tracking covering most important user journeys Serious player Functionality competes or even outperforms established players May have a . It is used by large enterprise clients. There are also plans for global expansion strong position at specific segments . In addition to capabilities of practices for earlier stages, can also be used for precise monitoring of minor adjustments aimed at single-digit conversion improvements. Multiple funnels based on detailed event tracking. Each user journey can be explored separately How to implement an ETS Decide if in-house implementation works for you To begin with, you should decide whether it should be an already existing solution or built in-house. When making a decision, one should consider the following 3 factors: From my experience, end-to-end implementation of event tracking (from the beginning until the moment you will see the first events recorded in production) will take around 3 weeks for 1 mid-senior engineer. On top of that, several weeks of dedicated data engineering and analytics teams’ support will be required to turn obtained data tables into nice and insightful dashboards. Availability of resources: frontend in-house solution will require an initial one-off cost to implement, but will allow you to achieve good economies of scale in case your product will keep developing. In case your company will later introduce new products and services, it will also benefit from existing solutions almost out of the box. Cost: if your product is developing at a fast pace, think twice about whether an already existing on-market solution will allow you keep the required degree of flexibility in terms of supporting every change. Flexibility: To summarise, developing your solution in-house has certain benefits in the long run, however as mentioned in the beginning, it’s highly important to select the right moment for implementation. Proper timing will allow you to ensure that all factors are considered: You have enough resources You are confident that this project will yield you a positive return on investment You believe that your product and company overall will keep growing and all future projects will benefit from the event tracking Further parts of this article will be focused on the implementation of in-house solutions. In case you decide that procuring an existing solution works better for you, you should expect that it will provide you with an end-to-end experience. Architecture of event-tracking While designing your solution, the most important thing is to decide how you want to see your data. The most common approach relies on 3 main concepts: Event, which can be defined as a combination of: Object, e.g. “Order” button Action performed with the object, e.g. “Shown to user” or “Clicked by user”. Therefore, several events can be associated with the same object within the same user journey. Session, which represents a unique and uninterrupted interaction of the user with your product, where interruption can be either: achievement of some event X minutes of a user being idle Parameters of events, which can be used to pass any other relevant information and which can be added to your events at any point in time. The most typical parameters you may need are: Timestamp of event id of the user (if known) Device type (iOS, Android, Windows, …) Experiment-related information. For instance, if you do A/B test, you can pass information on which group user was assigned to. Based on this data you can calculate the performance of each group in terms of conversion and choose the best option. From a data flow perspective, it is rather straightforward. Whenever the user performs an action you are interested in, your library should call the corresponding endpoint and pass relevant data there within the request payload. For instance, the user presses “Create order” button, which triggers the request (illustrative): Request URL: https://eventtracking.yourpoduct.com/WebTracker/RecordWebEvent Request payload: Session_id = abc Event_object = OrderButton Event_action = Clicked Parameter_1 = Value … Operationalization or Make it work Fire the first set of events: Once you’ve got the infrastructure to fire events, it’s time for the most practical step: you have to understand the exhaustive list of events you need to see. Although it takes time, this procedure is necessary if your end goal is achieving visibility on what’s happening with your product. A suggested approach is the following: Understand all the (sub)-flows your product has (e.g. quick flow for existing users vs long sign-up flow for new users) Refresh your knowledge of the flows by manually going through each and recording screencasts Carefully review your recordings and for each flow prepare a spreadsheet outlining all the events that you need to track. The structure of the spreadsheet can be like this: Type of flow (e.g. existing users) Event object Event action All parameters with possible values Discuss the spreadsheet with your Frontend engineer and make sure that all the data you need can be tracked. Bear in mind, that you will be able to add some events in subsequent iterations Finally, ask your engineer to start firing the events in a production environment. It’s not necessary to include all possible events in the scope of the first iteration. Focus on the most important ones that are needed to get insights and test hypotheses. Double-check Once the first iteration is done, it is crucial to make sure that everything works in the correct way. It is easy to get overwhelmed by the number of events you have and miss the gaps. The most reliable way to double-check is: Repeat the step when you went through all flows and recorded screencasts. However, at this time make sure you also save the session id for each flow you are going through (can be easily copied from the network tab of your browser’s console). You can use session id as a title for each screencast for simplicity. Wait until the data on events recorded can be accessed in the database (usually, it’s not immediately) Query the events tracked for each session you have. The dummy example of the query would be: select * from your_product.events_recorded where session_id = ‘your saved id for each flow’ Compare the results of your query with your corresponding screencasts and come up with a list of all gaps (most likely you will observe some). Reach out to your Frontend engineer to close the gaps. Repeat this procedure until you are confident that all events are tracked properly. Construct first funnels (visualize insights) Ask a question Start by asking the main questions you have regarding your product: At which stage of the signup flow users are mainly dropping? What is the reason for existing users not reaching the end of the journey? Which parts of the UI will I most likely experiment with? E.g. titles of the main Call to action buttons Prepare mock-ups with dummy data Based on the key questions you have, you can create mock-ups of your funnels and see if those would be sufficient to satisfy your curiosity. It’s always a good idea to visualize what you want to see before reaching out to the data team. Calculate and sense check Once visuals are sorted out, don’t hurry by jumping straight into making ‘fancy’ funnels. Instead try to calculate all the pieces of data (for a selected period of time), which make up the funnel in a separate spreadsheet to see if the data makes sense. Try to be as critical as possible: Some inconsistencies would immediately get your attention. Make sure that once events are sorted and aligned to user journeys, it’s always a declining trend. You can also triangulate against different sources of data. For instance, compare the number of orders created from your database to the number of events when the last screen was shown. Clearly, the number of events should exceed the number of orders created. If it’s not the case, then you are missing some events Once done, you can proceed to the final step. Construct the funnels you need based on mock-ups and queries you used for sense check Set up clear procedures for the future Don’t settle once you are done with covering all key user journeys with your event tracking-based analytics. Most likely, your product will be changing in the future. One should be very cautious in order not to lose the results of great effort that has been put to set up the event tracking. To achieve that, make sure you have an exact procedure in place with all relevant parties following it. The procedure could be like this: When you or your designer start working on new user journeys, make sure that all changes to the existing product are explicitly highlighted. Communicate the changes to your frontend team that will be updating UI, and make sure all the new events will be sent, while irrelevant events to be deprecated. Having a spreadsheet as a tracker for new/ deprecated events could be useful for you. Aware your analytics team that datable will contain new events, which should be incorporated into subsequent funnels. In the end, you as a product manager should be responsible for results and making sure that  current funnels still make sense. Usually, it should be the case unless you don’t introduce significant updates to your product. Conclusion To sum up, the implementation of event tracking will be a significant enhancement of the product owner’s toolkit. However, one should be reasonable when deciding if the product is mature enough for that. A simple rule of thumb to decide: if you can come up with a substantial “no-brainer” backlog of improvements for your product (which don’t need to be ‘scientifically’ proven), then it’s most likely not yet mature enough for the event tracking, and you have more important things to spend your resources on. Once the product is ready for implementation of event tracking, its owner should understand that it could take a while to achieve the end state. Be prepared for numerous iterations and attempts to resolve inconsistencies. Finally, getting to the end state can be tough. However, losing progress is much easier. In order to avoid the loss of fruits of your labor, you should have a strict and precise procedure for updating your event gathering and analytics whenever something is being changed in your product.

How to Create Effective Product Funnels with Event Tracking

Ah, the marketing funnel. It’s the thing that marketers can’t stop talking about, and customers need help understanding what it is and why they should care. In this blog, I’ll share the , different types, and how to retain customers. key elements to creating a funnel marketing Let’s shed some light on this very important topic! What Is A Marketing Funnel? At its core, the marketing funnel is a . It is an organised way to identify and target potential customers, nurture them with content and resources, and then convert them into paying customers. process of converting prospects into customers Marketing funnels are used in many different industries and come in many shapes or sizes depending on the needs of your business. The marketing funnel concept is a marketing strategy marketers use to attract as many leads as possible and then gradually to the eventual conversion point. nurture prospective customers through suitable schemes How To Create a Marketing Funnel Crafting a Marketing Funnel doesn’t have to be difficult. Make it easy by following these six simple steps: 1. Uncover Your Target Market . What are their preferences, needs, and desires? When you understand the specifics of your customers will assist in tailoring the remaining parts of your marketing funnel. Knowing what motivates them helps you identify areas for improvement and drive new sales opportunities. Understand the profile of your target audience 2. Generate Content Content serves as the backbone of your Marketing Funnel and can be deployed to captivate future customers with your product or service. Make sure it’s fresh, engaging, and informative! 3. Generate Leads Using lead magnets, such as an enticing free trial, discounted product or webinar can help you attract the perfect target audience and capture important leads. Make sure your offer is worthwhile for those who are interested! 4. Unleash your Marketing Funnel Spread the word about your lead magnets and content on social media, via email campaigns and other digital marketing platforms. Plus, you can employ classic methods such as print advertising or even rely upon traditional word-of-mouth. 5. Strengthen connections Lead nurturing is an integral element of the Marketing Funnel. Strategically deploy automated messages and other forms of outreach to foster relationships with prospective clients, keep them informed about your product or service, and create lasting impressions. 6. Transform leads into clients After following the steps outlined above, it’s time to transform your prospects into customers. This can be achieved through tailored emails, follow-up calls, customised offers and more. While funnels are designed to illustrate a customer’s journey throughout their purchase, they often need to account for the meandering paths customers take when making decisions. After all, who can say that their purchasing process was linear? Start by identifying and analysing your customers’ stages before investing in your product/service. By doing this, you can tailor content and opportunities better so that each customer has a unique journey towards conversion! Benefits of Creating a Marketing Funnel Creating a marketing funnel can provide . Firstly, it helps to identify and target potential customers that are the most likely to convert. Secondly, it provides an organised process for nurturing prospects through their buying journey. several benefits for businesses Finally, it allows marketers to track the effectiveness of their campaigns across each stage of the funnel. It also and trust with potential customers by providing them with the information they need to make an informed decision. Marketing funnels are a great way to ensure that your prospects have all of the information they need before making a purchase, thus increasing . helps to build credibility conversion rates Types of Marketing Funnels Funnel marketing has the capacity to tailor its goals and target specific audiences. For example, digital marketing funnels are built for online activities – no offline strategies included! Content channelling further amplifies this experience by allowing users to interact with content intuitively tailored to them. The Sales Funnel . Some people opt out, some lose interest, and some choose another method of purchase. Commercially, funnels derive from the probability of sales and opportunity gradually decreasing at each step Entrepreneurs, marketing organisations and marketing departments within larger companies should have a funnel. The AIDA Funnel has been around for a long time, as early as the 1890s, when it was seen as a revolutionary and proactive marketing formula for attracting customers. AIDA By harnessing the power of to recall the sales funnel stages and create tailored content for each stage, you can achieve the same objectives as using the traditional sales funnel framework. AIDA When a customer begins the sales journey, they will go through steps similar to what follows. AIDA Example Awareness Our target audience people like Charlie. He’s educated, middle class, brand loyal and has loved cars all his life. He’s now at a point where he can buy the car of his dreams.  And whilst reading the Sunday papers one summer’s day, he comes across a review about a new Porsche. The article is full of praise for the german powerhorse, with its handling, power and road presence. Interest With a spark of – he starts researching Google for more information. The following morning, he calls his local Porsche dealer and arrange a test drive. interest Desire On his visit to the dealer, the beauty of the car takes him aback. The salesman plays his part dutifully, expressing the wonders of the fine automobile. Sensing our gent’s interest and to learn more, he hands the keys to the prospective customer and says, “Why don’t you take this beauty for a spin?” desire Action After the test drive, our prospective customer decides it’s just what he has been looking for. He takes action and places an order. Digital Funnels Similar to the classic model of , a digital funnel used online can be constructed similarly. However, with the age of technology, there are more automated systems and tools to help the seller and the buyer on their journey. This sort of funnel process is usually termed as a . AIDA Conversion Funnel So, taking our model, let’s look at the steps involved with a digital funnel. AIDA Digital Funnel Design Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/eric-delcroix/21438701322 Optimising The Funnel To improve your marketing funnel’s success and increase the number of potential leads at each stage of the process, . The easiest way to start thinking about your sales funnel optimisation is by breaking it down into . it’s important to optimise your funnel the major measures – , and Upper Middle Lower • The function of . the upper funnel is to attract new visitors • The is responsible for . middle funnel turning new visitors into qualified leads • The is where the macro . lower funnel conversions, or purchases, happen Each part of the conversion funnel should be approached differently; therefore, different marketing methods are employed. TOP OF FUNNEL (TOF) The traffic you’re sending to your online store will largely . Focusing on driving quality traffic is the first step to optimising the upper funnel and there are various methods you can test: determine the effectiveness of your conversion route • Optimising your for paid search and display ads keywords • Correct targeting of your social media ads (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) • Creating unique, keyword-optimised content (blog posts, eBooks, guides, infographics, videos, etc.) MIDDLE OF The FUNNEL (MOF) Potential customers enter this middle funnel once they engage the brand meaningfully. This part of the marketing funnel is all about building trust with your prospects and demonstrating the benefits of your products. Now that you have your potential customer’s interest, it’s time to , demonstrating your product’s or service’s quality. build trust and loyalty Engaging your audience with the following helps build that trust: • Testimonials • Product Reviews • Case Studies • Automated Marketing Campaigns • Engaging Content (the comparison between two separate campaigns/ads) to track key metrics. Running continuous A/B Tests will provide you with essential feedback BOTTOM OF FUNNEL (BOF) As leads drip down into the last stage, you need to start pulling them into new conversion funnels. The more customer data you have, the more personalised and targeted experiences you can craft to keep them interested and wanting more. Once a lead has converted, pull it back into the nurturing phase and continue building rapport through targeted offers and email campaigns. Social Media Funnels A social media sales funnel guides your followers, taking them from the moment they first learn about your product on social media to becoming dedicated customers. It’s an effective tool that encourages repeat purchases and builds brand loyalty. The social media sales funnel consists of : four distinct stages Awareness/discovery Intent Conversion Loyalty To effectively leverage conversions and nurture customer loyalty, it’s essential that you create content tailored to each stage of the buyer journey. When you craft a well-thought-out social media marketing scheme and provide content of value, users will be more likely to engage with it by liking, commenting on, or sharing your posts. By interacting with a brand hashtag campaign or viewing your ads, potential customers will be able to identify and connect with you easily. This opens the door of opportunity for your business as you can focus on those who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer – giving them a chance to become lifelong customers. With a typical social media funnel, as seen above, we are only seeing half the journey for customers. Much like a traditional funnel, it stops at the point of sale. But, in the modern age, that is . only half the journey The template of has not become defunct – it just needs to evolve! AIDA Bow Tie Funnels We have already looked at the first stage of the funnel through the model; let’s now look at the , known as the . AIDA retention side through the marketing funnel Bow Tie Funnel With the bow tie marketing funnel, businesses can and loyal to their brand. Not only does this approach foster customer trust, but it also creates an army of devoted followers who will become vocal advocates for the company. ensure customers remain engaged This method focuses on building strong relationships over a long period of time so that customers are immersed in your brand’s world. You will reap the rewards of your hard work from a prior stage in this advocacy phase. . Fostering customer satisfaction ensures that they remain loyal to you Take pride in what you do, and showcase how effortless it is for customers to interact with your business, knowing that this is just another proactive step in the marketing mix to raise awareness about your product/service – and your reputation. The Evangelists By cultivating strong relationships with existing customers, you maximise the possibility of customers returning and recommending your business to their peers. A typical example would be musicians who use Marshall amplifiers. The reputation of this brand is huge. Used by performers globally, these stalwarts play a significant part in brand awareness for the company. Creating customer journeys is achievable through loyalty and referral programs. These helpful schemes motivate consumers to repeat purchases while spreading positive word-of-mouth about your business. However, it’s important to note that not all companies can benefit from such initiatives; offering post-purchase are also . excellent aftercare services and customer support essential components in building lasting relationships with clients Adopter The first level is recognising the customer who has just purchased. This is a brand new purchaser, so it’s important to make them feel confident and encourage them to remain loyal on their way to becoming a . Brand Ambassador The simplest way is to offer a bonus reward, a discount off the next purchase or perhaps an invitation to a VIP area that’s related to the product. Think creatively and consider how you would want to be rewarded in a similar manner. At this stage, use the purchase as a springboard to gather further customer information through email or a follow up call. Apply this information across the entire funnel. The Loyalist The following stage of retention in the funnel is the . Loyalist This generally refers to one of the following: A customer who upgraded their purchase at checkout Repeat Customers The difference between an and a is that the former may have made an impulse purchase, while the latter instinctively chose to buy from you. Adopter Loyalist To convert an Adopter to a Loyalist, ensure that your message (marketing) connects with the . Offer incentives to buy related products or offers for a repeat purchase. Consider how you can recommend incentives such as offering tier pricing to maintain their path along the funnel. Loyalist The Advocate The is a satisfied customer who has bought from you and likes the product or service you offer. Advocate This is the customer who will start using their social influence through online platforms such as reviews, testimonials, social media or word of mouth to recommend potential customers to your products or services actively. To keep them on side and engaged, entice them with incentives. These could be: Membership of a VIP club with personal referrals Access to new products in exchange for reviews This sort of . It’s extremely , and most importantly, it’s coming from a neutral and trusted source. advocacy is worth its weight in gold cost-effective Ideally, you want advocates of your brand to encourage other customers to become advocates, so use further incentives. Make Advocates Feel Special Reply to their tweets, share their positive posts on Facebook, and answer them with a personalised response if they connect through email. The quickest way to lose an is to make them feel like one of the masses. Treasure them! Advocate The Brand Ambassador These are the company’s friends! They are (think or ) – they tell their friends and colleagues how happy they are and are passionate about their relationship with you. emotionally connected to your brand Apple Jeep Enhancing the customer experience for . Loyal customers that help market your brand is a social-proof strategy that should be wholly embraced, as it will provide a budget-crunching and formidable ROI. this group is a key tactic to use in your marketing funnel stages For small businesses, the personal touch such as a handwritten message will let them know how special they are to you. Acknowledgements to offer include: Free overnight shipping Gifts for Birthdays and/or Christmas The Art of Retention Customer lifetime retention is nothing new – it’s been around for a long time. However, there are many examples of companies throughout history who, for one reason or another, decided that, after a while, they would change their systems or the way they recognised key customers. They essentially took them for granted. Part of this problem arose because companies tend to budget for something other than advocates or brand ambassadors. They assume that because their customers are on board, they will be, for a while, asking themselves why they should waste time and money keeping happy customers happy. Financial institutions, utility companies, insurance brokers and the automotive industry would benefit more if they put more energy into customer retention. On average, you can fail a loyal customer a couple of times. After that, they will start falling off the radar and consider switching to a competitor. And guess what? They will make a point of telling everyone they know! Conclusion Overall, marketing funnels can be a powerful tool for businesses to convert prospects into customers. They provide an organised process for targeting and nurturing potential customers while providing the resources they need to make an informed purchase decision. If you want to increase your conversion rate, creating a marketing funnel is worth considering! https://piershgardener.com/category/how-to-guides/?embedable=true

The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Funnels and Conversion

La guía definitiva sobre embudos de marketing y conversión

Le guide ultime des entonnoirs marketing et de la conversion

मार्केटिंग फ़नल और रूपांतरण के लिए अंतिम गाइड

マーケティング ファネルとコンバージョンの究極のガイド

O Guia Definitivo para Funis de Marketing e Conversão

Hướng dẫn Cơ bản về Kênh Tiếp thị và Chuyển đổi

营销渠道和转化的终极指南

Imagine backers funding your project immediately you launch your Kickstarter campaign. That would be amazing, right? You would likely reach and surpass your funding goal before the deadline. Unfortunately, crowdfunding platforms are not like social media platforms. They don't have a crowd of backers just waiting to fund your startup. So, you have to find the backers yourself to raise the funds you need for your project. One of the best ways to do this is to build a community of email subscribers. In this post, you’ll learn how to build your Kickstarter email list with a lead magnet funnel. But, first… Why Do You Need An Email List For Your Kickstarter Project? You need an email list for your Kickstarter project because the chances of people finding and funding your project organically is slim. Search Kickstarter (or any crowdfunding platform) right now, and you'll find thousands of people seeking funding for their projects. The platform simply doesn’t have enough backers to fund each project. And, those that may be interested in your project may not find your Kickstarter campaign. So, if you don’t want to launch crickets, you need to build a community of people who are likely to fund your Kickstarter project. An email list is one way to build that community. Here are the benefits of having a Kickstarter email list To validate your project idea Email subscribers can provide feedback on your project, which you can use to improve or scrap your idea. To secure early pledges The potential funders in your email list will be invested in your project and start donating as soon as you launch, which will help build momentum for your campaign. To attract more funders The early pledges from funders on your email list will work like testimonials and encourage others to donate. You may even get featured on Kickstarter’s front page, giving you more visibility. Now that you know why you need an email list, the question is… How do you build your Kickstarter email list fast? The answer is a lead magnet funnel. The fastest way to build your Kickstarter email list is to use a valuable lead magnet to entice potential funders and convince them to subscribe to your email list. So, What Is A Lead Magnet Funnel? A lead magnet funnel is a sales funnel that starts with using freebies to generate leads. It involves offering a lead magnet freebie to capture leads’ email addresses, and then converting them with email marketing. Here’s how it’ll work with your Kickstarter project. You offer prospective backers something valuable for free, such as a guide, tool, or webinar. In exchange, they’ll give you their email address. Then, you can start sending them engaging emails about your project. So, when you launch your product (to them), they’ll be willing to back your project. There are three steps to building your Kickstarter email list with a lead magnet funnel. Create an actionable lead magnet freebie Set up an opt-in page to offer your lead magnet Launch an engaging email marketing campaign Continue reading to learn the details. Steps To Create A Lead Magnet Funnel For Your Kickstarter Email List Here is the 1-2-3 step to build your Kickstarter email list with a lead magnet funnel. Step #1 - Create an actionable lead magnet freebie There are so many shitty lead magnets out there that people are now skeptical about giving their email addresses in exchange for freebies. So, just any freebie won’t do. You have to offer an actionable lead magnet to capture potential backers. Create something useful that would help potential backers solve a problem or get a quick win. Say you’re seeking funding for a personal finance tracking app. You can create a lead magnet PDF titled, “Secret Strategies To Stay On Track Financially.” However, a more attractive lead magnet would be a fillable PDF titled, “Personal Finance PDF Planner To Stay On Track Financially.” First of all, it’s more closely related to the product you want to build. And, it’s more useful because it’s fillable and clickable. Potential backers who download it can type their financial plans in it and click the goals they achieve. You can offer different types of lead magnets, including ebook guides, pdf templates, webinars, and free courses. Here are steps to create a lead magnet pdf for your Kickstarter project: Brainstorm an idea that provides value to potential backers Give it a magnetic title that attracts their attention Craft an introduction that connects with their struggles Add actionable content that gives them a quick win Close with a CTA that sends them to your Kickstarter page If you'd like to create a lead magnet pdf, click here to read the practical guide on how to do it. Step #2 - Set up an opt-in page to offer your lead magnet After creating an actionable lead magnet, the next step is to offer it to potential backers. And to do that, you’ll need an opt-in page. An opt-in page is a landing page where you offer the lead magnet. That is, where you convince potential backers to submit their email addresses in exchange for your freebie. People won’t download your lead magnet simply because it’s free. So your opt-in page can’t just say, “download our free ebook on how to stay on track financially.” You need to create a compelling opt-in page that will make potential backers desire your freebie.  One way to do this is to share what’s in the lead magnet and how it’ll benefit them. You can use landing page builders like or the landing page features of email marketing tools like to set up your opt-in page. Unbounce ConvertKit Lastly, you need to share the link to your lead magnet opt-in page. Potential backers have to see the page to be convinced to submit their email addresses. You can share your lead magnet on social media, guest posts, groups, forums, and the project website. Here are tips to set up a compelling opt-in page Write a benefit-driven headline that piques curiosity Add supporting copy that describes what they’ll get Include an image of the lead magnet or a video pitch Use an actionable CTA like “download free guide” Ask for only their name and email address in your form Step #3 - Launch an engaging email marketing campaign Building an email list for your Kickstarter project isn’t just for seeking funding for your project. Put yourself in a potential backer’s shoes. You submit your email address in exchange for a valuable PDF financial planner. And the next thing you know, you’re being asked to fund a personal finance app. You’ll likely hit the unsubscribe button. So, don’t send emails begging for funding immediately after capturing potential backers’ email addresses. Instead, send engaging emails that will generate interest in your idea. Talk about the problems your project will solve and ask their opinion. Share exclusive behind the scene information or photos, and so on. So, when you're ready to launch, they'll be committed to your journey and willing to back your project. Hence, it’s important to start building your email list weeks before your launch date. This will give you enough time to engage with the potential backers on your list. Here are tips to launch an engaging email marketing campaign Write subject lines that will compel backers to open and read your email Use copywriting formulas such as AIDA to write an engaging body copy. Ask for their opinion and offer more freebies and secret bonuses. Include a strong CTA that sends them to your Kickstarter page. Bottom Line: Use A Lead Magnet Freebie To Build Your Kickstarter Email List People don’t just wake up and think, “I should go back a startup project on Kickstarter.” You need an email list of people who are likely to fund your project when you launch. And, a lead magnet funnel is the fastest way to capture these potential backers. With the steps explained in this guide, you can build your Kickstarter email list with a lead magnet and have a successful crowdfunding campaign.

How To Build Your Kickstarter Email List With A Lead Magnet Funnel

Have you ever thought, “My sales funnel isn’t working”? Here’s the thing: Most B2B sales funnels aren't properly set up or optimized to make sales or create a smooth buyer's journey & experience. Some people think creating funnels involves mapping a couple of boxes in Flowchart and calling five of them [email]. Then they get stuck trying to figure out what actually goes into those emails. Others get practical and create landing pages & emails, but then fall back on the old “hope and pray strategy” that someone will convert. My point is that this kind of “build it and they’ll come” approach not only waste your time, money, and energy, but it’s also not sustainable. In this article, we’ll cover three steps to get clearer on your funnel and get better results: Creating an ideal client profile that loves your solution (this isn’t your average buyer persona) Writing copy they can’t disagree with Optimizing your offer so it’s irresistible It’s time to stop guessing about what converts and start writing copy that joins the conversation in your customer’s heads. And gets them to say yes to your solution. How can you know if your funnels don’t work? You’re neither writing copy for your ideal client nor controlling the customer journey. If you’ve ever felt like your copy isn’t relevant to your ideal client, or that your messaging isn’t connecting with them, then you’re in the right place. Many sales funnels don’t work because: They go on for AGES and eventually bore the buyer outta there The messaging doesn’t resonate with the target buyer The offer isn’t interesting enough to buy The underlying problem is that the funnel doesn’t start with the buyer’s experience or needs in mind. It’s all about the company getting as many leads as possible or forcing the customer through steps to get the solution. This strategy blows up eventually when the stats show low numbers and leads keep dropping off. Now, instead of creating content or copy you’re not sure will convert, take some time to evaluate who your ideal client is, what they need from your solution, and what they think about your business. When you research your ideal customer to find out what they need from your solution, you’ll know what to say that gets them to convert…and how to optimize your offer so it’s irresistible to them. I’ll take you through this in three steps… How you can start fixing your B2B sales funnel #1 Research your ideal client profile This isn’t your average “Debbie the Demand Gen Marketer with 3.5 kids” persona (lmao!?) This is the person who’s ready to buy from you and will fall in love with your offer. Before you show them that… You understand their problem, and You have the solution to their problem, You need to know how they feel about their current situation, the transformation they desire, and how to communicate your solution’s promise. It’s simple. Their Desired Outcome: What is the most important outcome they need to get right now, that will help them overcome their problem? For example, a busy marketer juggling multiple projects needs one platform to track & manage each project efficiently. How does your solution improve their: Quality of life, e.g their health? Social standing among their peers/family/colleagues? Business workflows or revenue? Finances? Their Attitude Toward Your Solution: What primary emotion do they feel when they learn about your solution? Are they skeptical of your solution? Do they approve of your solution? If they don’t trust your solution, your funnel should build trust. If they trust your solution, your funnel should prove that it will solve their problem. What Your Solution Helps Them Overcome: In the simplest words, what does your solution promise to solve for them? For example: LinkedIn helps you connect with professionals and find jobs Publer helps you schedule your social media content A recipe book shows you how to cook delicious food This is the first step to creating messaging that connects with people who want what you sell. The next one? It’s right below. 2# Change how they see your solution You’re looking for that A-ha moment, or the moment your prospect realizes your solution is perfect for them. When they’re at the end of your funnel, your prospects should convert their pre-existing beliefs to what you want them to believe. Life should look better for them as they adopt your solution. When they’re done with your solution, they should achieve (or soon achieve) their desired outcome. Time for a little research & discovery. Start asking your customers what they think about your solution & industry. You can also research social media, turn to your past interviews, analytics & surveys, or audit your competitors to see what they think. If your industry is known for sleazy practices, how can you show that you’re different? If they believe that [alternative solution] is good for them but it’s actually not, how can you show that your is better and safer? You can also ask yourself these questions to understand what they believe: What other solutions have they already tried? What do they need to do to finally achieve their desired outcome? What changes do they want to experience or see? How does your solution solve their number one problem? Before they reach that A-ha moment, understand what they need to think and feel first. #3 Optimize Your Offer You can’t do all this work, only for your customers to see your offer, think “I’ve seen it before,” and hop over to your competitors. What makes your solution a no-brainer and a priority? Here are a few brainstorming tips: What unique feature or process helps your customers solve their problems faster/more efficiently? What specific problem does your solution solve? Do you have proof that your solution works? This includes but isn’t limited to testimonials, studies, or statistics. What benefits of your solution help them reach their desired outcome? Here are two ways to optimize your offers: Make it easily accessible! When funnels are too long, they remove the urgency that buyers need to act quickly. Add a guarantee to remove risks. For example, if you offer a free trial, tell your prospects that they can cancel after X days and not be charged. Be transparent. Your funnel should always start (and end) with your customers in mind. TL;DR Create an ideal client profile Build your customer’s trust in your solution Optimize your offer to be irresistible 📌Liked this post? for more breakdowns on email, landing page, and funnel copywriting. Follow me on LinkedIn Also published . here

Fixing Your B2B Sales Funnel To Generate Leads

“Leads are dropping faster than water poured into a leaky bucket” Khan exclaimed to his business partner. He was visibly frustrated. And it was true. A close look at their Hotjar dashboard reveals that they attract visitors to their website all right. But they hit a snag when it comes to converting those users to paying customers. Ouch. Khan and his partner aren’t the only ones battling this problem, however. In fact, according to , a massive 79% of leads are not converted to sales. Marketing Sherpa If you’re losing that many leads, then it’s time to take a step back and analyze the path your customers take to conversion. This is so you can uncover friction in your customer journey that reduces the efficiency of your SaaS sales funnels. A confusing task if you don’t know where to begin. But it doesn’t have to be. This article will show you 4 tactics for optimizing your SaaS sales funnel. But before we jump into that, let’s be clear on what a sales funnel is. What exactly is a SaaS sales funnel? Imagine all the steps your prospects go through on their way to becoming paying customers. The moment they discovered your brand How they decided your product is worth a trial When they decided they’ve found the real deal and became your customer And started spreading the good word about your product All of these stages are what make up the SaaS sales funnel. Source: Klozers Think of it as a multi-staged selling process that begins the moment your prospect first becomes aware of your brand and continues even after the prospect becomes a paying customer. How do you know it’s time to optimize your funnel? Serial entrepreneur turned VC, David Skok, gave a warning in . In his words: his brilliant article “No matter how large or successful your business is, you will have at least one place that is a blockage point in your customer acquisition funnel. This is the point where the conversion rates from one stage to another are not satisfactory or you have a scaling problem…” What does David mean? He’s saying it’s always time to optimize your funnel. A perfect funnel — one that is 100% efficient and requires no fine-tuning — isn’t achievable. There’ll always be stages in your customers’ journey where the conversion rates are less than ideal. And the onus falls on you as the business owner to find these blockages and clear them. There are three main places to look at when searching for funnel blockages. . Are your leads stuck on top of your sales funnel? This means you have no problem driving visitors to your website. But they do not seem interested enough in your offering and messaging to move on to the next stage. Top of the funnel . Are your leads stuck in the middle of your funnel? It means you’re generating leads. But they’re not just qualified. Qualified leads show a clear indication that they’re interested in your business. Middle of the funnel . Are your leads stuck at the bottom of the funnel? This means you’re having no sales. Your leads show intent but you can’t convert them into paying customers. Bottom of the funnel Once you’re able to pinpoint where these funnel blockages are, the next logical question becomes: “How do I eliminate them?” These are 4 tactics for you. 4 tactics for optimizing your sales funnel Create content that solves the specific needs of your prospects It’s not just enough to create content for SEO's sake. Your content has to appeal to prospects at specific stages in their buyer journey. That’s how they get enough information to move from one funnel stage to the other. This stat by the emphasizes that. According to the research, 95% of buyers choose SaaS companies that provide them with sufficient content to navigate the buying process. Demand Gen report Wondering what type of content you should produce at each stage of the funnel? This illustration by Myk Pono provides the answer. It also shows how each content type fits into your customer acquisition framework. Source: Myk Pono Shorten your sales process Have you ever forfeited your spot on a queue because it was too long? At that moment, your time suddenly becomes so valuable that you’d rather go home without what you came for. Or find somewhere else to get it. That’s how your prospects feel when you make them go through multiple (unnecessary) steps on their way to conversion. Time is money. The shorter your sales cycle is, the more optimized your funnel is. Not to mention your customer acquisition costs rise with every increase in your sales cycle. Source: Zendesk Here’s one effective way to figure out where the time traps in your sales cycle are. Revisit your interactions with existing customers. What specific issues extended your sales process? Depending on what funnel stage this issue occurs, create content that provides a solution to your customers. Measure your funnel metrics Remember the saying “what can’t be measured, can’t be managed.” It holds true here. The only way to improve your SaaS funnel is if you have data on what’s wrong. Not everyone realizes this though. This surprisingly revealed that 68% of companies have not identified or attempted to measure their sales funnel. research If you’re wondering what sales funnel metrics you should keep tabs on, these are the most useful ones. Leads Conversion rates Acquisition costs Customer lifetime value Average deal time Cycle time Total sales This by David Skok gives a deep dive into understanding and calculating SaaS funnel metrics. video Do not forget your old customers Often when founders think of their sales funnel, they only think of how new prospects can become new customers. But what about your old customers? 80% of your company’s profit will come from 20% of your existing customers, according to this research by . This underlines the fact that you should include existing customers in your funnel optimization plans. Customer Thermometer How do you do that? One way is to roll out a referral program. Dropbox used this tactic to improve the efficiency of its sales funnel. And , the company’s co-founder, referrals increased their signups by 60%. according to Drew Houston by Avoma gives actionable tips on how to set up a SaaS referral program. This article Conclusion To grow your SaaS business and drive predictable revenue, understanding how your customers become customers is vital. That’s how you get information on how to get new customers to grow your customer base. With this in mind, the importance of a SaaS sales funnel in mapping out the journey your customers take becomes important. What’s also important is optimizing your funnel so that the customers’ journey turns out to be a smooth ride. The four tips detailed in this article will show you how to do that. lead Image Also published . here

4 Tips SaaS Founders can use to Optimize their Sales Funnel

It’s time to say goodbye to stress-inducing funnels. And I’ll show you how to optimize your funnels for better conversions and better quality leads - my way. If you want higher ROI from your funnel, it’s important that you start by building a timeless customer profile so that you: a) don’t guess what’s going to be in the funnel, and b) don’t guess what’s going to make your customer convert. And even if your prospects/leads don’t buy, your messaging isn’t pushy or sleazy. You want your customers to think, “they’re talking to me.” just That way, you get to build trust with them, which builds loyalty over time. Now, let's dive in. Where to look for leaks The first step to optimize your funnel? Clean up the leaks! Many funnels fail because of these reasons: Messy, inconsistent messaging Long, complicated & exhausting buyer journeys They don’t cater to the prospects’ goals or problems Weak CTAs that don’t inspire action The offer doesn’t have enough incentives to buy For example, my freelance digital marketing blogging biz funnel flopped. My messaging spoke to anyone and everyone who needed a writer - caused confusion on my end and anyone on my site My services were basic - I’ll write blog posts for you. I couldn’t describe my prospect’s desired transformation and use that to sell or stand out from thousands of blog writers. Basic CTAs - “Learn more,” “Click here,” etc, didn’t entice the reader to click or want what I promised. I’ve since niched down my messaging for a particular client, created more valuable services, and improved my copywriting and CTAs. For you, some improvements could look like this: Making your messaging consistent in all your emails, website pages, landing pages, etc. Creating an ideal client profile so you understand who you’re talking to and what makes them convert Optimizing your offer to be irresistible for that profile Let’s break them down below. #1 Start With Your Ideal Client Profile This isn’t your average “Debbie the Demand Gen Marketer with 3.5 kids” persona (lmao!?) This is the person who’s ready to buy from you and will fall in love with your offer. Before you show them that… You understand their problem, and You have the solution to their problem? You need to know how they feel about their current situation, the transformation they desire, and how to communicate your solution’s promise. It’s simple. Their desired outcome: What is the most important outcome they need to get right now, that will help them overcome their problem? For example, a busy marketer juggling multiple projects needs one platform to track & manage each project efficiently. How does your solution improve: Their quality of life? Their social interactions? Their businesses? Their finances? Their attitude towards your solution: What primary emotion do they feel when they learn about your solution? Are they sceptical of your solution? Do they approve of your solution? If they don’t trust your solution, your funnel should build trust. If they trust your solution, your funnel should prove that it will solve their problem. What your solution helps them overcome: In the simplest words, what does your solution promise to solve for them? For example: LinkedIn helps you connect with professionals and find jobs Publer helps you schedule your social media content A recipe book shows you how to cook delicious food This is the first step to creating messaging that connects with people who want what you sell. The next one? It’s right below. 2# Challenge their pre-existing beliefs You’re looking for that A-ha moment, or the moment your prospect realizes your solution is perfect for them. When they’ve finished in your funnel, your prospects should convert their pre-existing beliefs to what you want them to believe. If they’re disappointed, they should feel hopeful by the end of the funnel. If they’re frustrated with their current situation, they should feel empowered to solve it at the end. Life should look better for them as they adopt your solution. When they’re done with your solution, they should achieve (or soon achieve) their desired outcome. Time for a little research & discovery. Start asking your customers what they think about your solution & industry. You can also research social media, turn to your past interviews, analytics & surveys, or audit your competitors to see what they think. If your industry is known for sleazy practices, how can you show that you’re different? If they believe that [alternative solution] is good for them but it’s actually not, how can you show that your is better and safer? You can also ask yourself these questions to understand what they believe: What other solutions have they already tried? What do they need to do to finally achieve their desired outcome? What changes do they want to experience or see? How does your solution solve their number one problem? Before they reach that A-ha moment, understand what they need to think and feel first. #3 Optimize your offer All the work you’ll do isn’t worth it for a bland, boiled-onion, “seen it before” kinda offer. What makes your solution a no-brainer and a priority? Here are a few brainstorming tips: What unique feature or process helps your customers solve their problems faster/more efficiently? What specific problem does your solution solve? Do you have proof that your solution works? This includes but isn’t limited to testimonials, studies, or statistics. What benefits of your solution help them reach their desired outcome? These are some ways to optimize your offers: Make it easily accessible! When funnels are too long, they remove the urgency that buyers need to act quickly. Add a guarantee to remove risks. For example, if you offer a free trial, tell your prospects that they can cancel after X days and not be charged. It’s your turn Your funnel should start with your customers in mind. When your messaging blends in, your solution can’t stand out. What do you think? Comment below :) TL;DR Create an ideal client profile Challenge their pre-existing beliefs & build their trust in your solution Optimize your offer to be irresistible

3 Steps to Optimise Your Funnels for More Leads & Sales

Developing a website might be a rigorous procedure. Developers know that there are many design principles to follow to capture the user's attention. But one must pick a unique path to capture the user's compassion and point of view. Not always does the first impression of your website lead to a sale. Sometimes, it happens; but it does not mean the same thing will happen again and again. You cannot predict how website design will impact the mindset of the buyers. Therefore, your primary objective should be to leave a lasting impact through the structure of a website. If you managed to do it right, your website would perform as a sales funnel. The sales funnel attracts consumers to business products or services, and it also convinces them to buy the respective product or service. What Is the Sales Funnel? It is a marketing term. The marketing term describes the journey of the potential customers to purchase products or services. It assists to comprehend the behavior of consumers at each stage of the buying journey. Because of these insights, it allows business people to invest money and time in the proper activity. Right decisions endorse the businesses to improve sales and generate high-paying customers. pre-planned designs of customer expeditions from interacting with services or products to buying them. It also assumes what should happen after buying products or services. There are a variety of templates available in the market. They are both free and paid. Also, you can develop your template. First, you need to learn how they work. Though, it is a complex process to create efficient funnels that help you to identify the right buyers. Sales Funnel Templates - The Stages of the Sales Funnel Every stage of funnels affects the behavior of the user. Business needs to be familiar with them for understanding customer behavior. Having an idea of each step allows everyone to employ varieties of tactics to reach people or customers. It has the potential to impact differently on your business. There are four sales funnel stages. They are- 1. Awareness; 2. Interest; 3. Decision; and 4. Action. In every phase, website design plays a crucial role. Let us see how it impacts the business funnels. 1. Awareness: In this stage, prospective customers learn about the company and what the company has been offering to them. This process is accomplished through social media, google searches, word of mouth, and press releases. Prospective consumers are always aware of the difficulties they are facing. For that, they are always in search of a solution. If it is found in your product or service and through a proper funnel design, they will buy what you are selling. Role of proper funnel design - Strong branding is significant with effective website configuration. To implement a strong branding activity, you need a well-designed website.  Developing an impactful website for a business is meaningful and crucial for consistent branding. One should have a bunch of logos, shapes, colors, and fonts. These elements are exceptionally vital for branding. Make all these elements an identity of your brand. Utilizing those elements independently on different pages of a website assists visitors to discern the mood and tone of your brand. Role of website design - A landing page is the unique page of the website. Website visitors are directed to this particular page which consists of different product information. A landing page should have all the data; a consumer needs about a service or a product. Landing pages are the first step for designing funnels. TIP: 2. Interest: Consumers start researching, comparing, and considering your product with competitors in this phase. In this stage, a proper funnel design establishes expertise and helps consumers to make informed decisions. Role of proper funnel design - It is important to make website navigation convenient. It is a vital stage in the website designing process. A proper navigation process helps to achieve a funnel objective. Role of website design - Visuals are important in websites. Good visuals assist people in hanging around the text. People love watching videos. Visuals hold customers long enough to make the funnel work. TIP: 3. Decision: A prospective consumer is ready to purchase respective services or products in this stage in the funnel. He might have considered two or three products at once. At this point, businesses should make undeniable offers through funneling so that consumers should not resist and hesitate to buy. Role of proper funnel design - Remove all distractions on web pages to let consumers focus on the respective service or product only. Role of website design - You know the quality of the website influences the buyer's decision. So, it is advisable to remove all the extra links, sidebars, and too many images. Removing the distraction-oriented stuff is beneficial for impressive funneling. TIP: 4. Action: It is the ultimate step in the sales funnel; prospective customers could become real-time customers of your company by purchasing goods or services. It is important to note that there may be additional stages of sales funnel beyond the purchase. But in this stage, the funnel should concentrate on customers by expressing happiness and gratitude, inviting customers for feedback, and providing product or service-related support. Role of proper funnel design - A well-designed and managed website allows consumers to complete their purchasing goals. Role of website design - During the sales funnel stages, the design of a website and its interpretation matters a lot. And it has the power to influence the stages of a sales funnel. TIP: It is all about how website design company helps businesses the stages of a sales funnel. FAQ What is the meaning of funnel in a web design? It is the series of steps/actions every website visitor takes from the product pageview to a purchase. Do you require a website for the funnel? No, you do not. Are a funnel and a website two different things? Yes, they are. Remember that the first impression of your website doesn't always lead to a sale. Every stage of funnels affects the behavior of the user in a different way. Having an understanding of each step helps you create tactics to reach the right people or customers.

Understanding the Stages of the Sales Funnel and How it Relates to Your Website

Digital security and authentication are both rapidly developing fields and offer developers many options to secure their applications and networks. However, with abundant approaches available, it can be difficult for newcomers and veterans alike to sift through all the options. At SharePass, we’ve spent much effort developing dedicated solutions for confidential data sharing. Consequently, digital security, integrity, and accessibility are at the heart of who we are. In this article, we’ll walk through ’s patent-pending security funnel, providing a step-by-step guide to building out your security pipeline when using SharePass. SharePass The Security Funnel The first thing to remember is that not all data is created equal. With SharePass, businesses and individuals can sort their data into tailored segments based on the degree of sensitivity and privacy required. Once earmarked, the data is automatically converted into an encrypted link guarded by a customizable series of privacy and access controls. Clicking the link decrypts the data, but only once 8 checks are successfully verified. Step 1: Validity When a user clicks on an encrypted link (to decrypt it), first, SharePass’s algorithm determines whether the ID is valid. An invalid ID, which SharePass has not issued, may result from an innocent mistake or a malicious actor attempting a brute force attack. Step 2: Existence Even if an ID is valid, it still may not exist in the SharePass database. That situation can happen because the user deleted the data, their account has been deactivated, or the link has expired. However, if the ID is valid and existent, the user passes to the next stage. Step 3: Visibility Visibility is the first user-controlled step of the funnel. SharePass users are given the option to limit data access to pre-approved IP addresses. If an IP is not on the list, it’ll immediately be filtered out. Step 4: Availability Even users with approved IP addresses can face several vertical and horizontal limitations. For example, the link can be set to only become active during a limited time window (a horizontal control) or can be set to expire after being clicked a certain number of times (a vertical control). The Visibility and Availability checks work in tandem to provide users with maximum filtering capabilities. Data is made accessible on a need-to-know basis and is otherwise blocked by default. The availability and visibility stages conform with Zero-Trust principles and help mitigate most social engineering attacks and dark web threats. Step 5: Accessibility If the data owner wishes to lock all access to a particular data set, the SharePass portal allows users to do so at any time. Once locked, anyone who has made it this far down the funnel stops short. Step 6: Authorization Final user-controlled stopgate. Authorization checks for any preset PINs, MFA codes, or YubiKeys. In addition, SharePass is developing a new security protocol called , which expands traditional MFA to include human controls delegated to a trusted third party. Mutual Human Authentication Step 7: Decryption If all the above safeguards check out, the encrypted data is retrieved from the database and sent to the requester’s web client for decryption. It is essential to only decrypt the data on the local device while maintaining a fully encrypted database. Step 8: Plain Text At this point, the secret is communicated back to the data owner and logged by the portal. With all the available security decisions, the target is not always to shoot for maximum coverage but instead adopt flexibility and durability. While it’s impossible to cover every use case in advance, a genuinely proactive security funnel provides users with a robust set of tools so that they retain control over their data at every step of the way. Don’t risk it, SharePass it! To learn more about SharePass or sign up for a free trial, visit https://sharepass.online/

Building an Airtight Security Funnel Step-by-Step

If you run an ecommerce store, how can you use Instagram to your advantage? Instagram is more than just Facebook's jet set sister or Twitter's ultra-trendy cousin.With over 800 million monthly users (and growing), Instagram is the place to document life's big and small moments in beautiful little pictures. Instagram has a discerning millennial audience – 59 % of 18-29 year olds are active Instagram users. This demographic turns its nose up on traditional marketing tactics and avoids old-school advertising mediums like cable TV, making it difficult for businesses to find a way out. On Instagram, users actively invite brands to their feeds – 80 percent of Instagram users follow at least one brand.Ecommerce brands are particularly well positioned to flourish on Instagram, with 14 percent of users likely to shop within the app, not to mention see-through conversion opportunities. These seven tricks can help boost your Instagram sales funnel: 1: Add a Call to Action to Your Bio Instagram doesn't have a lot of space for text or links, so you need to use what's available to your advantage. A simple trick is to add a call-to-action (CTA) to your bio that will drive your followers back to your ecommerce store. If you have a current product special, new range of products, or anything else you want to promote, use your bio to show followers where else to go. 2: Link in the story This feature is only available for accounts with more than 10,000 followers – all the more reason to prioritize Instagram and start building that audience. Eligible accounts can paste links into Instagram Stories. Instagram Stories, added last year, allow users to combine photos and videos into a temporary slideshow that disappears after 24 hours. Elite users can now add a CTA to an Instagram Story so people can swipe up to read more. 3: Collaborate with Influential People Brands spend an estimated $1 billion annually on Instagram Influencer Marketing. Influencers ranging from local fitness instructors or photographers to A-list celebrities have turned social media marketing into an art form.While top influencers like Beyonce can earn upwards of $1 million per post, the average sponsored post costs around $300. With the right strategy, your brand can form a strategic partnership with influencers that generates a high return on investment in terms of conversions and brand awareness. By collaborating with influencers, you can leverage their network and brand to spread the word about your ecommerce offerings. 4: Free product, you only pay the shipping Many watch and sunglasses companies are popping up on Instagram with paid ads with a tempting offer: Get a free product, just pay for shipping. This can be a good way to get your product out there and into the hands of consumers, especially if it is a product that may be purchased more than once. This strategy can get a lot of attention, but you need to make sure it is executed correctly. Be careful about these buyers as guaranteed prospective customers. 5. Shopify Integration Shopify is currently testing Shoppable Instagram posts. This integration allows ecommerce stores to sell to shoppers directly from the Instagram app without navigating to a website or external platform. This feature is now available in beta for some accounts. If you want the option of post purchaseable before the full Shopify/Instagram rollout, LIKEtoKNOW.it is a great option. With this app you can take screenshots on Instagram and make purchases directly in the app.

Social Media Marketing Funnel: 
7 Tricks You Need To Know

A content funnel is intended to incite interest among your old followers, attract new ones and convert them into customers and buyers. In this piece, we’ll talk about creating a content marketing funnel on Instagram from scratch. What is a Content Marketing Funnel? A content funnel is a series of posts that walks a potential customer through getting to know your brand at the beginning and deciding to buy from you as a result. marketing You’ve already seen examples of content marketing funnels, even if you didn’t notice it was them. Various blogs, messengers, Instagram accounts of brands, and sites that sell stuff - all these are examples of the content marketing funnel. Since you can leverage a content marketing funnel on different marketing channels, Instagram is no exception. Content funnels may consist of different amounts of posts. It depends on how well your audience knows your brand, how targeted this audience is, what industry and business you’re working in. But even if the number of posts can vary, the order of the posts should be the same regardless of your business. Any content funnel has a common structure that you adjust to the product or service you’re selling. But you can add other posts in your content funnel; it's not necessary that all the posts of the funnel go one after another with no other content. To make the funnel work as it should, you need to communicate with your audience in your account, reply to their comments and make them leave comments under your posts. That said, your audience needs to be engaged with your content; this is a loyal and engaged community. When using a content funnel, the main purpose is not to push the product or service but to give your audience the value the product would provide them with. You need to understand the pain points of your audience and call to these pain points in your posts. Before we start making on the content marketing funnel, here are some mistakes other marketers and entrepreneurs make: 1. They well enough. They don’t know their pain points nor their motivations. Thus they don’t have a clue if their product is what they actually need and if it could help them at all. don’t understand their audience 2. They don’t know their competitors and don’t know how they are different from them. 3. They post the same content all the time. Of course, your content needs to be about your product or about something you can use to connect your product to. You don’t need to tell about anything you don’t have in your assortment or something you don’t sell. Still, you should try to make your content look different even if it touches the same thing. 4. They can’t sell. The whole content doesn’t have to be pushy but still, why have you made an Instagram account of your brand in the first place? Don’t aggressively sell your products or services in each of your posts but . In fact, this is why you’ve come to Instagram with your business. Instagram don’t forget to sell whatsoever 5. They make content only for new followers, forgetting about the old audience. This is a common mistake. In marketing, retention of an old customer is a lot more expensive and complicated task than attracting a new one, so don’t ever forget to engage with your old audience. 6. They’re not flexible. They consider the content funnel as a strict content plan, so they don’t adjust it to various real-time events, audience’s needs and general landscape changes. Content Marketing Funnel: When to Leverage You don’t have to use the content funnel all the time, in 100% of your Instagram posts. Typically, it makes sense to leverage it when you expect a new audience to come to your profile: a paid social campaign, influencer marketing campaign, giveaway, or challenge are such reasons. Depending on the event, the first post should have different content. So logically, when you’re expecting a new audience, you should make them get to know you. Here’s where an introduction post is on point. If you’re launching a new product, the first post should be about this product and why it’s useful, why it’s better than the ones made by competitors. Pandora publishes a motivational video to inspire followers to take part in the Pandora Memory Challenge. You can use the content funnel on Instagram both for your old and a new audience. The core of its functioning is the same; what different is the content of each particular post. Whether it’s a product or a service launch, an update, new release, assortment or business scaling, new shop opening, or just a reminder of your products - you start the funnel with the post that will draw the attention of your audience to the event. Instagram Content Funnel Structure Any content marketing funnel on Instagram is a flexible recipe into which you can add your own ingredients or remove them from the recipe depending on your goal. The idea behind the content marketing funnel is that every post engages and calls to certain reactions. Also important is that with one content marketing funnel you try to sell only one product or service at a time. I bet all of you have several products or services that you want to sell. In this case, make a different funnel for each of the products. All posts in the funnel are united and don’t exist independently of each other. Each of the posts has a certain purpose and walks a user from one step to the next one convincing them to buy from you at the end. But under certain circumstances, any post can make people purchase. It goes without saying but even if the content funnel is often associated with captions and copies, Instagram remains a visually-focused platform, so images you pick for the funnel should be of good quality and on point. If the image or video is not appealing, people won’t read your caption. What Posts Does the Content Funnel Consists Of? The most common content funnel on Instagram works on the principle of . AIDA : attention, interest, desire and action Since we talk about Instagram, we’d add here also a fifth component, - . engagement : you introduce your product or service to a new audience or remind the old followers about the product. How? By using an appealing image, headline and the first sentence/paragraph of the caption. Attention post Some ideas for the Attention post: 1. Introduction post. Tell your readers about your company or brand. 2. Facts about your company/product. You can also add here a little bit of gamification by asking your followers which of the facts are true and false. 3. Your reaction/opinion to recent news. 4. Real-time events. Instagram features creators in the post dedicated to Mental Health Awareness Month. 5. Viral content: videos, challenges, trends and alike. KitKat takes part in the popular #Dollypartonchallenge on Instagram 6. Post that solves a certain issue of your target audience. 7. Debunked myths about your industry, product or service. : this post is designed to attract maximum attention from your audience. Here you can tell why your brand or company is different from your competitors and why you’re better than them. But still focusing on your clients, even when you tell about yourself. Add some new facts and features that your audience have never heard of from you. Interest post Interest post ideas: 1. Success stories. People like to read about others’ success and to get inspired. Instagram shares success stories of female entrepreneurs. 2. Storytelling about your project or brand. 3. Backstage and behind the scenes of your brand. 4. Industry news with your analysis and opinion. 5. Facts and statistics, infographics. 6. Industry forecasts. 7. Lists: Top X, Best Of, etc. 8. Memes and jokes. It is important that entertainment content is relevant to your profile. 9. Unexpected usage of your product or service. : At this stage, you post loads of useful content and involve your audience in communication by using interesting, useful, and viral content. Engagement post In your posts, always focus on your clients and their benefits, even if you talk about yourself. Engagement post ideas: 1. Life hacks, guides, video tutorials. 2. Secrets, ideas, useful tips. 3. How-Tos. 4. Polls and quizzes. 5. Contests, games, challenges and flash mobs. 6. Interview/Q&A with an (external) expert. 7. An honest post about admitting your failures. : At this stage, you make the client prefer you among others. You make them want to buy from you. You confirm the already established opinion about your brand with real facts. Desire post The idea here is to show that your product or service solves the existing problems of the client. How to do so with content? 1. Social proof. Testimonials, UGC, product reviews, before and after posts. 2. Certificates and awards you achieved, industry events participation. 3. Live webinars and Q&A sessions. 4. Debunking customers’ objections and doubts. 5. Real working process. 6. Useful information on the purchasing process: how to buy, how to pay, shipment methods. : In such posts, you tell about the important features of the product as benefits adding a distinct call to action at the end of the caption. Action post Clear CTA in the caption is used in the action post. Before writing a post, you should answer these questions: What customer issues does your product solve? How will this product change a customer's life? What makes your product special for the target audience? What are their fears and objections to the purchase? Implementing a Content Funnel in Your Instagram Content Plan After you used a content funnel, the question is - what to publish next? You need to continue to build engagement, trust, interest, desire and attention for your brand with content. For example, you publish expert content, appealing visuals, experiment with content formats, share interesting stories and behind the scenes with your followers. After completing one funnel, you can also launch a new one for another product or service. After that - the next funnel. Do not be afraid to scare your followers with active sales. You sell only in the last post - . The main thing is to stay connected with your audience. directly Action Content Marketing Funnel Doesn’t Work: What To Do? If there is no response to the content you’re sharing, it means the audience that follows you is more likely not relevant to your business; this is not your target audience. Or you have an audience that is not used to communicating. This happens quite often, too - not all users love to comment under brands' posts. To start communicating with these followers, conduct polls in stories, make live broadcasts, share engaging video content, viral posts and entertain them. Also published on https://www.combin.com/blog/content-marketing-funnel-on-instagram/

How to Build a Content Marketing Funnel on Instagram

Funnel Chart in R, A funnel chart is mainly used for demonstrates the flow of users through a business or sales process. This chart takes its name from its shape, which starts from a broad head and ends in a small neck. The number of users at each stage of the process are represented from the funnel’s width as it narrows. Based on funnel chart can understand easily there are any significant drop offs and can make decisions accordingly. Note the drop reasons we need to analyze it separately to get the clarity. So basically funnel charts are high level visualization before going to deeper and deeper investigations. In this article we are going to describe how to create funnel chart in R, that is interactive. If you are not installed highcharter package install the same based on below command. Funnel Chart in R Install.packages(“highcharter”) Load required R packages, here we are using dplyr and highcharter. (dplyr) (highcharter) library library Once you loaded the package then need to set the high charter options. options(highcharter.theme = hc_theme_smpl(tooltip = list(valueDecimals = ))) 2 Let’s create a data frame for plotting df <- data.frame(
  x = c( , , , , ),
  y = c( , , , , ),
  name = as.factor(c( , , , , ))
) %>%
  arrange(-y) 0 1 2 3 4 975 779 584 390 200 "Leads" "Sales Call" "Follow Up" "Conversion" "Sale" Here we are talking about sales process in different stages like, leads, sales call, follow up, conversion and sales. df
x   y       name Leads Sales Call Follow Up Conversion Sale 1 0 975 2 1 779 3 2 584 4 3 390 5 4 200 Let’s create an interactive funnel chart in R hc <- df %>%
  hchart( , hcaes(x = name, y = y),
    name = )
hc "funnel" "Sales Conversions" Note displayed normal 'png' image, If you want to see the magics of interactive let's plot it. Previously published at https://finnstats.com/index.php/category/data-analysis-in-r/

How to Create A  Funnel Chart In R

Are you struggling to hit the jackpot with Sales Funnel? Do you know what the Sales Funnel is? Digital era has taken over the world. With the new digital age, the competition is also increasing; Entrepreneurs are thriving to stay in the game, trying different to grow your business online. marketing strategies Sales funnel is one such marketing strategy. You may have come across different posts, youtube videos to and implement the right strategy. create a sales funnel Sales funnel is a primary marketing strategy because it takes your potential client on the journey of the buying process. Efficient sales funnels will result in an increased number of website visitors. This will increase your email subscribers, which will further convert these email subscribers into clients. But for some reason, you goofed up and didn't manage to get results. This blog is your ultimate guide to the Sales funnel. It will help you rectify your mistakes and ascend your online business through the right proven strategies for sales funnel. 4 Verified Strategies for Profitable Sales Funnel Funnels help to bring in new clients on autopilot. The sales funnel can turn leads into loyal customers. For this, you need to make your sales funnels protrude by working on your bottom line. Check out these confirmed strategies and implement them to turn your sales funnel into customer procurement systems. #Strategy 1: Offer something profitable in the first stage of your funnel Years back, there was a simple chain cycle as we had bracket kings. Business leaders ruled their markets. As a result, business owners didn't have to try hard to win new clients. There was minimum competition. With online marketing and escalating competition, online businesses have to strive hard to fetch clients online and proving why leads to choose them. The most efficient way to earn clients is to offer something free of cost yet valuable to new leads at the very first level of your funnel. It should influence the customer to trust you and feel the want to spend. For instance, you can offer guides, templates, checklists, webinars, e-book and so on. Gusten Sun, founder and CEO of Funnels And Experts described how his agency builds clients' funnels using this exact strategy of providing value first. He gave a practical example to explain. He said, "Let's say you're a movie buff, but you want to stop spending so much money at the theatres, You do a quick Google search and find an online movie streaming service that offers a free 30-day trial. You sign up, watch movies for free for a month and afterwards they ask you if you want to continue watching unlimited movies from the comfort of your home. You say yes and pay. That's an example of a successful funnel, and that's the concept of providing value first to build relationships and turn browsers into customers. That is the example of the sales funnel of Netflix." Offering free and valuable offer to your leads will help you increase the conversion rate, #Strategy 2: Authentic Emotional Response Marketing It would be best if you replaced old sales copy tactics with authentic emotional tactics. Images Credit: Marketing Examples Being an entrepreneur, you understand the importance of connecting with your clients. It would help if you hit the bullseye. You must target customers emotionally that they feel your brand is talking directly to them. is the efficient way to ensure customers feel that way, Copywriting Copywriting has been a massive hit. These days people don't like forced headlines that scream BUY. This type of copy was majorly used in old sales funnels. Today if you want to make your sales funnel copy a hit you have to ensure it is genuine, authentic and sincere. Ad copy should sound more informal and less like a salesman speech to reach contemporary consumers. Cody Griffin, CEO of Griffin Copywriting and Marketing Solutions, said "This is why an increasing number of successful brands are moving away from direct response copy tactics to what industry experts are calling emotional response marketing. Your funnel doesn't have to be complicated, but what most marketers fail to do in their copy is to meet their market at their current level. It's vital to relate to where your client or customer is now versus where they want to be and how your product or service will help get them there. Doing so will result in more conversions, more sales and success with your funnel." Always remember, emotional connection is the most critical tactic these days. Stories build this connection and help you get reactions from your target audience. You have to focus more on feelings rather than the number of clicks. This will bloom your funnel's performance. #Strategy 3: Set Retargeting Campaigns As per our assumption, every lead who visits the squeeze page should convert into customers. But this is contradictory to the reality. Suggestion: If you want to learn a technique of creating a conversion-friendly squeeze page then I would recommend you reading an amazing guide written by ClickFunnels: How to create a squeeze page But if you want to increase your conversion rate, start setting up retargeting campaigns. Strategise sequences of emails and ads to be sent to people who reach the first page of our funnel but go back without taking you designated call of action. The strategy of setting up retargeting campaigns ensures they acquire precious informative content like inspirational content, educational videos, customer reviews and so on. Every bit of content a potential customer sees once they leave your funnel should give them reasons to reconsider your brand and eventually influence the potential buyer to take the call of action you want them to take. #Strategy 4: Look for multiple sources of traffic One essential rule to remember is don't limit your traffic to one source. This is a common mistake that most of the online businesses do. Even if social media gets you maximum traffic, that does not mean you will channelise all your efforts in only one direction. This will lead to a state of panic in your company if social media crashes even for a single day. Invest your resources into multiple streams of traffic set up on social media platforms. Move a bit further, and channelise content marketing, email marketing, blog content, SEO, case studies and other sources to drive efficient traffic to your funnel. As per some experts, to drive quality traffic to your funnels, don't make the mistake of underestimating good old-fashioned email marketing. Emails are still as profitable as ever and will always be a secret sales weapon when used correctly in addition to your social media platforms. Sending traffic to your funnel via organic blog posts, SEO, and podcasts are also among the highest-converting forms of content marketing you should be implementing in your funnel strategy today. Conclusion Sales funnel is an essential aspect of marketing in today's world, provided it is implemented in the right profitable way. These four strategies can efficiently ascend your conversion rates. If you want to shine, implement these strategies into your sales funnel. This will create a highly profitable, valuable and productive customer acquisition system.

How To Create A Marketing Funnel

Businesses want to make sales. No doubt about that. However, they often end up spamming random people with their sales copy. Often even people who have nothing to do with their products or services. It feels spammy and it is. It doesn’t make sales. Businesses should follow a structure when sending out content and making sales pitches. They should use a sales funnel, and I’m going to go into this article as to how to structure one. The main idea is that companies shouldn’t target every single person they can reach. They should instead assert their prospect’s and deliver content accordingly. position within their sales funnel The funnel is made of 4 levels, which are separated in the middle by the “wall of trust”. The levels are the following: : These are the people who aren’t aware of your products and/or services. It’s very unlikely that they will pay loads of money to your brand just because you have something to sell to them. They don’t know anything about your brand or what makes you a better choice than your competitors. What you should do with them is . Use attention-grabbing headlines and relatable images or some sales copy that pinpoints their exact situations and feelings. The key word here is Just like when you meet someone new and what keeps you two engaged are your common interests and/or passions. …or even common problems. If they get the idea that you are knowledgeable of their business (their issues, roadblocks, questions and desires) then they will hear you out. Afterwards, they aren’t strangers anymore. They become Strangers pique their interest relatable. your audience. They are the people whose eyes and ears you managed to win over. What now? NOW… you need to win over their And when you do, you will have them on your side, believing in your message and in your vision. . How do you do that? By giving them as much value as possible. Yes, give them free stuff! Be it blog posts, tips, tutorials, PDF guides… anything that may be useful to them. The result of this is that they will start seeing you as being resourceful and as being a guide. Once they make they make the decision to trust you, they become your subscribers. Audience: trust. Believing in your brand Finally, you can pitch your products to them. Bear in mind that trust can be lost far easier that it has been won. So keep giving out gifts (aka free stuff) just like you normally would, if they weren’t subscribed; make sure your products are polished and presentable, and please don’t be too pushy and overwhelming with your sales pitches. Instead, keep sales pitches related to their needs/interests. Otherwise you could come off as spammy (and lose their trust). Subscribers: The people who went all the way through the funnel and bought your product. These are actually from your sales funnel and should be treated accordingly. Nurture them with exclusive content and offers. Make them feel special. Make it worthwhile to be your client. Word of mouth and referral programs are most of the time more effective than sales pitches. Clients: the most important people A lot of salespeople make the mistake of putting strangers first and seek to make gathering attention a first priority. It should be the other way around! Clients are your most important assets because they trust you and they will stick to your brand. You already won them over. Now make them stay and offer them more! Conclusion Using a sales funnel just like the one described above can prove useful when segmenting sales copy, posts, ads, promotional material, sales pitches, etc. Personalisation is a term in marketing, which means using information about prospects to target their needs and desires in their own context, so that they understand that you have a grip on their own situations and you know what you are talking about. You are proving this to them, and they choose you and your services because of your competency. Bear this diagram in mind, and use it whenever you get the chance so that you don’t put in too much effort in strangers who don’t want it and run out of energy/time/resources to nurture your clients who are counting on you. Also published here .

Stop Blindly Targeting, Start Creating Smarter Content for the Funnel

What do you think about B2B content marketing strategy? Does your marketing strategies seem to get the desired results? Is content strategy vital? Yes, content is very crucial but there’s no benefit if you are creating hundreds of blogs that are irrelevant to your niche or do not meet the audience's needs. It is obvious that the is very crucial but it is also difficult to measure the efficiency of content. According to researchers, around are establishing custom content marketing tactics but still, there are many marketers who are unable to make a difference between engaging and non-impactful content. B2B sales funnel 88% of marketers Want to recreate your content or learn some distinct content marketing strategies to optimize your B2B sales funnel? We have the solution to all your questions but firstly, let us explain to you what is a content marketing funnel. Content Marketing Funnel? Do you know what is content marketing funnel and how it can assist in the brand’s growth? A is a system that follows a step by step procedure using as many as leads and converts them into potential clients who have purchased the goods or services from your brand. content marketing funnel Basically, a content marketing funnels consists of three broad levels: when the customer finds your business. Awareness: When the lead finds that the products or services offered by your brand fits their requirement or not. Evaluation: when the lead decides to purchase and becomes your customer. Purchase: No matter what levels come in the sales funnel, content marketing significantly will keep helping your business to reach the audience in any of these funnel stages. Further, this helps in interacting with the leads, understanding their requirements, and producing more premium quality content. Now, as you are aware of what is content marketing funnel and how you can leverage it to experience the maximized benefits from your brand, let us talk about some specific categories where most of the marketers fall short and what tactics can be implemented to make the most out of the content marketing. While the various websites and apps are collecting the data, understanding the online demands, and the behavior of the audience, it apparently becomes very daunting for humans to effectively gain insights and execute it. 1. Build AI-Powered Content Here, can be used to assist all your content marketing tactics to leverage as many as benefits like spotting the latest trends, optimizing for better CTR, and much more. AI Implementing AI will not only speed up content creation but will also help in building effective content that can better serve the needs of your customers. All in all, investing in AI can help you in achieving your desired goals. Adequate information about products and services is crucial but most of the companies fail to provide. The users find it very difficult to access the information related to products or services that further leads to poor user experience. 2. Invest In Strategic Content So, to avoid losing the leads, invest in providing the audience with as much as relevant content so these leads turn into potential customers. But ensure the content is of good quality, is well-organized, and works well in terms of selling. There’s no other better solution than and using them as influencers for your brand. If your brand is trustworthy and reputed then only customer engagement can be expected. So, your internal links can help you analyze where your brand is lacking, what improvements can help in meeting the customer’s needs, and much more. Moreover, in terms of content, every individual can come with unique ideas that can be implemented to leverage the most from your content marketing tactics. Right? 3. Integrate Employee Generated Content engaging your employees in marketing tactics Earlier, marketers took content for granted, but in today’s digital world, the content has become the key to business success. It is no longer an optional element but has become a necessary part of marketing strategies. 4. Data-Driven Content Tactics Creating and publishing the posts would not be enough. So, make use of insights, demographics, and other available information to construct a powerful content marketing strategy and analyze the output to ensure business success. It has been seen that most of the marketers are making more use of webinars, audios, and videos rather than implementing their previous content tactics. 5. Integrating Live Videos While it is true that the idea of , live videos is another specific and powerful strategy that is worth considering to achieve more benefits. videos will continue to grow in the year 2020 People nowadays prefer engaging in live videos rather than reading those long blog posts. So, demonstrate transparency and build trust in your brand by using the live videos. As the way, popular content format increases the engagement same the live videos convert the leads into potential customers efficiently. When it is all about customer satisfaction, creating quality content becomes very crucial. Having information like demographics, the behavior of the audience, and the type of existing customers makes it easy to deliver the that fits the needs of every single user and engages as many as new customers too. 6. Personalized Experiences best-personalized content Eventually, personalized B2B content marketing not only organizes the sales funnel but also leaves a positive impact on conversion rate and establishing long-term customer relationships. Ultimately, focusing on efficiency in your sales and keeping the needs of customers in mind is one way to leverage the maximum benefits from the sales funnel. All in all, personalization, automation, and a blend of the latest technologies can be a key to optimize your sales funnel for achieving and delivering great user experience. Final Thoughts improved ROI (Disclaimer: The Author is the CEO at Webomaze)

How To Optimize B2B Content Marketing Funnel 2020?

Whenever my team discusses , we split into two opposing camps:  the “Just SEO” camp and the “Content Strategy” camp. B2B content marketing The first camp considers content strategies irrelevant and unnecessary,  emphasizing the importance of and keywords. In their opinion, getting to the first page of search results is the only way to secure popularity and visibility. search engine optimization The second camp believes in the power of strategically placing informative tips, ebooks, interviews, podcasts and other types of business content across every stage of the , considering SEO to be an important foundation, but not the only solution for promoting the company’s services. sales pipeline Modern websites are all about being brief and compliant with search engines. However, when it comes to the activities beyond the site, things get even more complicated. Neither side is wrong. is becoming more and more challenging every year. Neglecting it and letting your business promotion rely solely on clients’ reviews and referrals won’t let you lead the competition. B2B content marketing B2B content is made by businesses, for businesses. It’s not here to validate the user or to be relatable. It’s here to be relevant to the issues and concerns your prospects encounter at work. It’s here to highlight the pain points and the new terrains of the industry. So, naturally, if you think about bright banners, social media ad campaigns, and entertainment when planning , you’re making your first mistake. It’s not consumer oriented. B2B content Is B2B content marketing supposed to be dry and formal? Definitely not. When I say “useful” and “professional” I don’t mean “bland” and “dull.” B2B content is still read and consumed by people, and people love creativity in any shape and form. Nobody is excited about reading a very detailed and very long report on . lead generation What makes B2B content marketing so complicated is that as a , you are supposed to work even harder to produce and deliver that would be both  useful and engaging. Unlike in B2C, you have certain limitations regarding tone and voice as well as customer engagement tactics, yet you’re still supposed to bring results. content writer high-quality content So, B2B content marketing is not about being professionally toneless. It’s about the ability to use the data at your disposal to turn it into something exclusive, authentic and compelling. How to use B2B content marketing efficiently? Dive into your audience Not literally, of course. The data behind your site visits, your current customers and the prospects at the end of your sales funnel should be your main tool in mapping the portrait of your average prospect and understanding what kind of content they crave. To explore your audience properly, you would need to take a look at: 1. Google Analytics Shows age, gender and geographic location of your target prospects, which service pages they view the most, how long they stay on the website, etc. 2. MailChimp Shows the number of clicks on CTA buttons, most popular email, interaction with email content. 3. Reply Demonstrates open rate, the engagement rate of your target audience and the number of active users. Aside from data, there are other ways to get ready for a B2B content marketing campaign. In B2C marketing it’s called a client avatar, an approximate outline of the person that is more likely to favor your product and make a buying decision. There can be more than one client avatar to match every segment of your audience. While this method is not really successful in B2B because the end decision is carried out by an entire team, not just one person, it can work out for start-ups that are looking for investors or specifically target small businesses. Create a persona. In B2B, it’s pretty much a must and we have already mentioned it. You should know the priority segments and be able to break your audience down by each stage of your sales pipeline. Segment your audience. How to optimize your B2B content stage by stage? Stage 1. Awareness Your prospects have encountered your brand for the first time. Right now, they don’t know what to expect and have no clue why they need you. However, unlike in B2C, they found you because they were exploring a particular subject that is relevant to your brand. It means that they want answered. they have questions This is your opportunity to provide them with the To secure this top-funnel stage, you must make sure that your off-site presence is strong. answers they need. Utilize and about your company.  Make sure your press releases are available and your LinkedIn is fresh with new, relevant data. guest posts press releases Adding such social media as Facebook to that list wouldn’t hurt as well. Even though Facebook is not considered to be a B2B platform, it is capable of expanding your presence and attracting prospects with creative, informative content. Stage 2. Interest At the Interest stage, your potential prospects don’t just google general information about the product. They visit review platforms to see what users say about specific products and read articles posted by sales community or industry community authors. They’re not mildly curious, they are already thinking about may provide for their business. the benefits the product Make sure that you’re present on the review platforms, especially the ones that are specific to your industry. Your potential buyers should be able to see that people are talking about you. Your brand is here, it’s the real thing and it brings results. Stage 3. Consideration Consideration is the mid-funnel stage. While B2C buyers are only starting to read reviews, your B2B audience is already contemplating the probability of buying your product. Your decision makers show the information they found to their teams and stakeholders to analyze your unique value information and weigh all the pros and cons. At this stage, they’re actively researching your website and pay extra attention to your case studies, success stories, and social proof. Therefore, your company blog page and case studies page should be filled with illustrative and presentable content that would in tackling a wide range of issues or challenges and highlight your expertise delivering results. Stage 4. Intent When your prospects move to the Intent stage, they are ready for a product demonstration. They get test leads, run a trial or talk to your CEO to see how well you click together and whether it makes sense to start a . B2B relationship Your corporate Everything from CTAs to reports should be the pinnacle of style and have 100% grammar. content must be impeccable. Stage 5. Evaluation The B2B Evaluation stage is the stage where your prospects are ready to sign a contract or agree to schedule an appointment. They’re not your clients yet, but they are really, really close. But there is still a danger of no-shows or any other dealbreakers. During this stage, your email communication can save the day. You should have a couple of appointment reminder templates on hand so that you can nudge your prospects softly towards ultimately meeting you and closing the deal. Don’t send articles or case studies to your prospect. Being extra chatty or overbearing will only turn them away and result in them reconsidering. Stage 6. Remarketing Unlike in B2C, your customers don’t just merely add items to their cart and then forget to complete the purchase. There are two types of prospects you have to recapture: They are the prospects you spoke to and scheduled an appointment with, but they never showed up for the meeting. When recovering no-shows, you must rely on strategically placed to recapture their attention or at least get any kind of response from them. No-shows. follow-up emails These are prospects who jumped off at the mid-funnel stage or earlier without making any conclusion. They can be followed up with blog updates and case studies  (if they subscribed to your blog), free ebooks, tutorials or reports. It’s also possible to reignite your prospects via social media by inviting them to participate in surveys or AMAs. Lost prospects. How to monitor B2B content success? A while ago, content used to be spontaneous and lacked strategy. Nowadays, you have clear KPIs for detecting the weakest spots of your content and tracking your overall progress. Depending on your content goals, your KPIs should be: Traffic How many users visit your site per quarter? How many of them go to your website from your guest post? How many of them come to your website from your social media or press release? Knowing this will let you estimate if your current content format is compelling enough and whether you should change your style or the choice of subjects. Sessions For how long do your users stay on the page? What pages do they visit? What site elements do they interact with? Each session lets you see how well your readers get hooked on your content and whether they are interested in exploring your brand closely. CTR If your blog posts end with CTAs, how many clicks do they receive? How often do users click the links in the post? This metric shows how clearly users see your message and navigate through your content. It also allows you to measure how interested your readers are in exploring your content further. Bounce rate How often do your visitors leave within a minute? Does this tendency increase with every new article? A means that your content lacks whatever your readers are looking for. If your bounce rate keeps growing as you update your blog, this is a major that should be investigated and remedied. high bounce rate funnel leak What about SEO? SEO is vital at any stage of your , so priming up your meta descriptions, headlines and keywords must be in your to-do list. sales pipeline Compared to B2C,  SEO for However, you must make the most out of the traffic you receive because it almost entirely consists of decision-makers. Your potential buyers value substance over keywords. By taking a look at your content, they evaluate the quality of communicating and working with you. B2B drives less organic traffic. The search that ultimately brings users to you starts with a question. Use “How,” “When, “Where,” “Why,” “Tips” and similar words when composing meta descriptions and taglines to match the inquire your prospects use the most often. Pay attention to the that are relevant to your business. They are used by the prospects who are looking for a vendor already, so adding a keyword like “ ” to the content that outlines the specifics of your cold email service for B2B companies in Illinois would be a good call. low-frequency keywords cold email services B2B Illinois How to keep your B2B content fresh? Supplying each stage of your sales pipeline with relevant content means constantly generating ideas. In B2B, things get complicated because cat videos and slang are not here to help you out. Also, all hot topics have been explored already, so sooner or later you have to dig really deep in order to deliver something really exclusive and worth reading. At this point, your sources of inspiration should be the following: 1. Your team If you’re an in-house content writer, you’re working side by side with professionals who can share their experiences with you.  Ask them to tell you about any particular case they had, and turn it into a story. Even in B2B, users choose over a simple report on the subject. storytelling 2. Social proof Your business doesn’t stand in one place. Achievements are made, events are attended, partnerships are established — there is no point for you to hide it. Fill your pages with , and even on receiving an award. testimonials success stories news 3. Interviews If your networking and customer relationships are on point, this is another opportunity for you to stand out. Compile a list of questions related to the industry and the interviewee, wrap the answers up nicely and provide your readers with another fine and original piece. 4. Guest authors If your content activity is building steam, you’re quite likely to be contacted by the authors willing to post their piece on your blog. Quite often it’s a good way to add more visibility to your company and spread awareness about your . To keep your blog’s style wholesome and consistent, develop the and introduce your guest authors to them, making it clear that only compliant articles will make it to the blog. growing content hub guest-posting guidelines 5. LinkedIn Take a look at the experts in your network. What are they talking about? What posts do they share? What kind of news are they discussing? A topic that popular is worth exploring. Also, you will be able to add something to the conversation. You don’t have to agree with the audience to get traction. Posting a piece that counters popular opinions may be more rewarding since it will ignite a discussion. However, you should do so only if you really have some solid arguments to present. Disagreeing for the sake of disagreeing is bad taste. 6. Tools New tools for content marketing, research and analytics are released constantly. Since most of the web technologies are quite expensive, people always look for better, more budget-friendly options. You can be their navigator, testing and comparing the tools, enlisting the company’s tools of choice and explaining their pros and cons. Simple keyword research will show you the most high-ranking search inquiries about the tools of interest, giving you an idea of how your future material will look like. 7. Beginner tips This will never get old. We all have been there, we know the challenges we had to deal with and we will certainly meet people who have yet to take the same steps. Look back on your experience and think about what advice you would give to yourself from five years ago. Many people would appreciate this advice right now. Final tips Approach every post Your readers must clearly see what’s in it for them and why they should stick around. Avoid overly repeated paragraphs and statements, go straight to the point and outline the advantages of your post in its opening lines. like you approach your sales template. Accept that your content is It’s your way to the prospects you already have. The farther they go down the sales pipeline, the more interested they will be in learning more about you. It won’t go unnoticed if there is an information gap, resulting in risk or prospects leaking away from the funnel. not your main way to attract new prospects. retain and engage Apply visuals and images. Infographics, video reports, explainer videos, and show that you’re willing to go all the way just to Whenever your prospects notice those extra efforts, they get a better concept of you as a vendor and are willing to try out your service. downloadable PDFs make your visitors feel comfortable. Assess your KPIs . Sometimes things change in a blink of an eye, so it’s important to pinpoint every fluctuation in your metrics and adjust your content accordingly. For instance, if you see that users spend less time on posts dedicated to cold emails but pay a lot of attention to the materials dedicated to spam issues, or that your shortreads get more love than longreads, it makes sense to revisit the posts that are yet to be published and make some adjustments. quarterly My ultimate advice is this: Once you get things started, never stop halfway. You can decide if the chosen content style and strategy work for you only when you complete your goals for this quarter and receive a . Minor setbacks and doubts should not cause you to put the entire campaign on hold. Content marketing in B2B is a process that will take your time, a good chunk of your patience and night sleep, but if you’re persistent and know your way around information, it will help you unleash the full potential of your . full set of data sales team If you have any more questions regarding content marketing, send them over to me on . Linkedin Previously published at https://belkins.io/blog/fueling-your-sales-funnel-with-content-marketing

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